Ministry

A friend of mine sent me this poem. I am interested to know what you think of it- how it makes you feel.

****
Help me to express myself,
find words to heal my soul.
Bits and pieces given away,
till no longer am I whole.
Writing used to be a tool
I used most every day.
I'd write and write the painful things
I simply couldn't say.
Its time to find myself again,
regain some me for me.
Hopefully words come back once more
so I can write, express, and be free

Lord I don't know who I am.
Don't recognize myself.
I feel all fuzzy and confused.
Like I'm in some personal Hell.
Once I had dreams like everyone else
I had talents and goals to pursue.
Somewhere along the way I lost them
they vanished into the blue.
I know You have a plan for me,
some purpose in Your will.
I really need You to use me Lord,
my heart You need to fill.
Show me who I am in You,
Lord why you've put me here.
I cling to the hope that I'm good for something,
You alone can silence my fear.
I have no clue who I've become
but You know who I can be.
Jesus I surrender myself to You,
shape my life to show Your beauty.

***

I loved it. I think that it really illuminates some common struggles faced by Christian women today, to give and give, and eventually lose oneself in the roles of home and family. I feel like I could have written this poem, almost word for word, as could have many other mothers I have talked to. Please, she is looking for feedback, so let me know what you think!! :)

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collective

Here are a few odds and ends.

Odds.

The other day, I saw a gaggle of women in workout attire walking down the street. I thought it was a social exercise group... until I saw them sweeping the sidewalk. Odd.

You know you have spent too much time behind the camera when this happens:

I was opening the garage door. Blinded by the mid-day light, my first thought was, "Man, that is overexposed!!" Yeah.

And a note on parenting a threenager...

Scene: I am laying down nursing Logan. Daegan spies some diapers outside the window (*sigh* no idea why those were out there...).

"Mommy. Daegan see diapers outside. Daegan going to clean up diapers."
"Not right now, sweetie. Don't worry about them, mommy will get them."
"Right. I forgot. Daegan needs shoes."
leaves, returns with shoes on.
"Daegan, you are STILL not going outside. Mommy said no."
"Oops! Silly Daegan! I need pants! It is too cold outside for my bare butt. I freezing."
leaves, returns with pant and shoes on.
"Daegan. Look in my eyes. Mommy said NO. You are NOT going outside to clean up the diapers."
"No. Daegan need help mommy. Daegan do it."
"Once Logan is asleep, I will open the door for you and you can play outside. AFTER he falls asleep. Not before. Now please be quiet."
"Mommy, YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO ME. You are busy. You nurse Logan. Daegan is a helper. Daegan clean up diapers. Now be quiet. I be right back."
"Daegan Loki, you are NOT going outside right now. Go watch Sprout."
"OK."
he leaves, presumably, to the living room. five minutes later, I hear his shoes crunching on the rock outside. Diapers come flying in the window. A second later, he is back in the room with me.
"See, Mommy? No big deal. You make EVERYTHING so HARD."

lol.

NO NAP!

I'm coming to get you!

practice shots from the Farm

Peek a Boo!

This one should have been better. However, the leaves did not come out as focused as I wanted.

I am not sure I like this one. My eye seems disinterested. What do you think?

Blurry, but shows the action. She was running to mommy, home base. I am not sure a clear picture would have been appropriate here. Starting to really love motion blur in pictures. It adds so much to the story.

This is the result of the kids cornering a chicken. The blur you see in the top of the frame is the chicken's last desperate jump towards freedom. He made it.

Daegan's 3rd Birthday Celebration

was held on the 20th. His real birthday is on Wednesday, but he is too young to tell the difference. We went to the AZ Science Center, which had a Robots! exhibit.

is that a total stranger? yup. hm.

Many things I am... cake decorator is NOT one of them.

sure. that looks safe.

Why is my camera box in the fridge? Because he is three.

Totally forgot cake candles. Bad mommy.